Into the New World, Chapter 1: Amongst the Verdant Towers

[Masquerade]

"I agree with Alistia," Cleyra announces, speaking up for the first time after giving consideration to all the options. "Safety, not expeditiousness, should be our priority. The journey will be dangerous enough without us marching through the darkest depths of the woods--I suggest we take whatever help we can get."

"We should be thanking Sotera and Old Man River for presenting us with this opportunity, not bickering over it.

 

[Shayuri]

(HO HO HO... Sense Motive: 20 (natural 19) http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1415432 Who be in trouble? YOU be in trouble!)

Erin, standing back a bit, narrows her eyes a little at Enko's constant looks at Artimisia. Obviously the boy was besotted with her, anyone with eyes could see that. This seemed different though. The feeling she had was similar to the one Quoth had when eying a nice polished button.

Shiiiiny...

There was something -between- Enko and Arti...something stretched and strained. Not romance, but even better. A -secret-.

How delightful.

Now she just had to decide which one to peck first to see if they'd let go. Between the two, she'd bet wool against silk that Enko was the weaker link.

Erin wanders over to stand near Enko, but doesn't look at him or seem to notice that he's there.

"Based on what we all now know," she begins innocently, "and I'm sure no one's held anything important back, I stand by what I've already said. Follow the river's course in the forest just off the bank."

She nods, and drifts over to stand by herself at the doorway to peer pensively out...making sure there's plenty of room and quiet for a guilty soul in need of confession to feel safe in.

 

[Lorthanoth]

Alistia nods, "Thank you Cleyra. Yes, we should follow the course of the river; if there were a boat large enough for all of us I would suggest we use that, and we could go quickly downstream and also avoid any trouble on shore."

Alisitia looks at Erin suspiciously, What is she doing?

She then turns her attention back to the majority of the group, especially Thane and Ryon, "I'm glad that the rest of us, who aren't so knowledgable about the wild and can't hear a twig snap at a thousand paces and talk to savage beasts, have been allowed to have our say. I'm also glad to see that our opinions won't be discounted immediately."

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Thane raises an eyebrow. "Do you believe we should give your opinions more weight precisely because you don't have any idea what you're talking about? We'll be traveling longer than the rations will hold out, and while I cannot speak for Ryon, I can't promise I can hunt to fill the whole party on the riverbank. I may not have a map, but I know the forest as well as anyone."

 

[WarShrike]

Ryon seems momentarily speechless after Alistia's remark. He glances at thane for a moment, then shifts his glance to Growl, sitting beside him, and cocks his head at the wolf. Growl cocks his head in response. "Well, Growl ol boy, looks like we've just been snubbed, and after being genuinely intrested in their opinions." Shifting his gaze back to Thane, he continues: "It's a good thing we are so knowledgeable about the wild, and can hear a twig snap at a thousand paces, and can talk to savage beasts, because we obviously don't belong in polite company. In retrospect, it's a good thing we held a firm grasp on the basics of the langueage here in Cuirlen. Could you imagine how hard it would be to trade our furs if we could only growl and bark?" Ryon then turns back to growl and plays good-naturedly with his ears.

As he plays with Growl's ears, he says: "Hunting the riverbank would indeed be difficult. We would have to either fish for food, or slay aligators. But as Thane says, i cannot guarantee success."

 

[Zurai]

Artemisia is quiet for a while, seemingly lost in thought. When she looks up again, there is a look of determination on her face. She starts to speak slowly and deliberately, but her words soon bely her passion. "I cannot offer a map of the forest, nor a charm to negate its dangers, nor even true knowledge of what dangers it holds so far from Cuirlen." She sweeps her gaze across those assembled, drawing strength as she talks. "What I can offer is a certainty that we will have to cross the forest at some point. Every path has dangers. Even here, at the nearest point of the river, Pantheras and Sotera themselves disturbed a crocodile. Do any of you - any of you who will be going on this journey - think you can persuade a twelve-foot eating machine to leave us alone, as they did? I certainly can't, unless arrows count as persuasion."

She stands up from her chair and begins to pace, like a caged lion. Her eyes are like living green flames. "In the forest, I know how to find shelter. In the forest, I know how to find food. In the forest, I know how to avoid many common dangers. I'm sure Ryon and Thane, and maybe even Enko, can as well. Can any of us say the same for the river? Can you, Erin? You, Alistia? Cleyra?

"Sotera will not be going with us. I appreciate the help she has given us, truly I do. But her map does not lead us to the mountains. We don't even know where we'll need to leave the river to reach the mountains. On top of all of that, we have no idea how long this ash is going to continue to fall. I know you all saw what it looked like out there when you came here this morning. Imagine the river choked with ash, its banks thick and heavy with the stuff. Do you want to drink ash with your water? Do you want to walk hundreds of miles through thick wet ash - as bad as snow, I'd bet - and not even be at our destination yet?

"On the other hand, if we go by forest, the thick canopy will shield us from the worst of the ash. I know; I slept out in the forest last night. I didn't even realize there was ash falling until I had already broken my fast and left the forest for the village. Heavier ashfalls will likely break the canopy, but there will at least be shelter and probably clean, clear water in forest pools. Normally going through the forest is slower than open ground... but not in poor weather. And, as I've already mentioned, going straight through the forest is by far the shortest route in actual distance." She whirls in place, turning to face everyone again, her eyes blazing with passion. "So I say the choice is clear. Go straight into the heart of the Noonshadow Forest and spend the least time overall, staying in the most familiar terrain. Go in, do what we came to, and get out. What say you?" Her cheeks are flushed as she closes her argument.

 

[Lorthanoth]

Alistia gapes at the two men and then laughs in shock, "Oh my life! It was a joke!" she shake her head slightly at the mis-understanding "Ryon, Thane..." she says as she spreads her arms in an open gesture, and says to them both in a kind manner, "We all appreciate your knowledge and experience, but this is what I'm talking about; we can't just rely on you and Artemisia. We need you to teach us, rather than lead us. We can all learn something from each other. Maybe I can teach you both to bake the perfect honey-cake?" she grins.

OOC: I suppose we can assume she said this before Artemisia's speech?

 

[Zurai]

OOC: I suppose we can assume she said this before Artemisia's speech?

OOC: That's fine.

 

[Masquerade]

"As far as food is concerned, I am confident that I can forage enough to feed myself, at least, regardless of which route we take. As for the crocodiles," she pauses, contemplating Artemisia's "eating machine" comment for a moment, "we need only stick together."

"I am hesitant to suggest it, but may I propose we decide our route by vote?" Cleyra is smart enough to realize that, as things stand, she is setting her side up to lose, but she does not wish to frustrate herself further by arguing with those who will only refuse to listen.

 

[Dire Lemming]

Enko continues to look uncomfortable throughout everyones discussions and speeches, though he does not add anything to them himself. Anyone sensitive to this kind of thing would think he was building up the courage to say something he really didn't want to. Finally he takes a deep breath and says, rather anticlimactically. "Artimisia, I- I need to speak with you... Before we make this decision." he is blushing very noticeably.